Weekend lunches are to be enjoyed at leisure with the whole family preferably eating together at the table. When you want a hard-working meal the kids will love that’s not hard on the clock, reach for an avocado.
There’s a certain buzz around avocado. Either absolutely everyone is eating it or instagramming it. You might be terrified about avocado due to its fat content but be fearless. The majority of avocado’s fat is based on monounsaturated fats which are considered to be heart healthy. A recent study in the Journal of Lipidology in January 2016 showed that people who substituted the majority of fats from their diet with avocado had better lipid profile. What this means is lower triglycerides (measure of fat in the blood), total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. This is fantastic news as high levels of LDL cholesterol is known to contribute to plaque and narrowed arteries increasing risk of heart disease.
Advanced food bloggers may entice you with recipes swimming in avocado but my advice to you is keep it simple.
It’s true that studies were all completed with adult participants but start early. Get your kids enjoying avocado from an early age. For the weaning babies, avocado mashed with banana is delightful. This is a winning combination that is easily transportable when you are out and about. For toddlers chop into salads or as finger foods, throw into risottos or use as a spread instead of butter which is high in saturated fats.
This week’s recipe post is nothing elaborate but something simple that you can whip up in 2 minutes. What’s not to love?
Remember, rather than increasing fat intake your goal is to replace saturated fat from butter, baking, takeaways or fried foods with monounsaturated fats found in plant sources such as avocado, olive, nuts and seeds.
Avocado & Cheese Baps
INGREDIENTS
1 soft bread roll
Slice of cheese
1/4 avocado
Salad of choice
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut a bread roll in half and smother generously with avocado. Top with cheese or alternative protein of choice and serve with a salad. Add additional chopped up pieces of avocado if you like. For young toddlers, cut the bap into finger length pieces to promote self feeding.
